LLAW6140 & JDOC6140

General Course Information

1.1 Course details

Course code: LLAW6140 / JDOC6140
Course name: Intellectual Property, Innovation and Development
Programme offered under: LLM Programme / JD Programme
Semester: Second
Prerequisites / Co-requisites: No
Credit point value: 9 credits / 6 credits

1.2 Course description

This course examines the interplay between intellectual property law, innovation social and economic development. While it covers copyright and trademark laws and examines how these two areas are affected by digital and Internet innovations, the focus of this course will be on patent law. Particularly this course will explore how cutting-edge technologies such as information technology, biotechnology and green technology have changed the landscape of patent law on the one hand, and how patent law have affected the development of these technologies on the other hand. It uses judicial cases and empirical examples to illustrate how patents for biotech and pharmaceutical inventions have affected the access to technology and essential medicines, and how patent regime has been employed to protect genetic resources/traditional knowledge and green technologies, and whether such protection promotes or impedes innovation and technology transfer in these industries, and how IP protection has affected social and economic development of developing countries and least-developed countries. Last but not least, the course investigates IP-related antitrust issues, and discusses how to strike a balance between IP and competition for the benefit of technology innovation and economic development.

1.3 Course teachers

Name E-mail address Office Consultation
Course convenor Yahong Li yali@hku.hk CCT 407 By email

Learning Outcomes

2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course

CLO 1 Students are expected to be able to assess the role of IP in innovation and development based on their understanding of what are required in an innovation process, how much IP protection is appropriate for the provision of incentive in innovation, and the different roles IPRs play in different industries.

CLO 2 They should also be able to form their own judgments on whether IPRs are conducive to the economic development and social welfare, particularly in developing countries and least-developed countries, and how to strike a balance between protection of private IPRs and promotion of public interests.

CLO 3 The knowledge of the courses are particularly useful in students future or present careers involving IP policy making and IP law practices in and with creative industry and technology companies.

2.2 LLM and JD Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Please refer to the following link:

LLM – https://course.law.hku.hk/llm-plo/

JD – https://course.law.hku.hk/jd-plo/

2.3 Programme Learning Outcomes to be achieved in this course

PLO A PLO B PLO C PLO D PLO E PLO F
CLO 1
CLO 2
CLO 3

Assessment(s)

3.1 Assessment Summary

Assessment task Due date Weighting Feedback method* Course learning outcomes
Research paper TBC 100% 1 1, 2, 3
*Feedback method (to be determined by course teacher)
1 A general course report to be disseminated through Moodle
2 Individual feedback to be disseminated by email / through Moodle
3 Individual review meeting upon appointment
4 Group review meeting
5 In-class verbal feedback

3.2 Assessment Detail

To be advised by course convenor(s).

3.3 Grading Criteria

Please refer to the following link: https://www.law.hku.hk/_files/law_programme_grade_descriptors.pdf

Learning Activities

4.1 Learning Activity Plan

Lecture: 3 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks
Private study time: 9.5 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks

Remarks: the normative student study load per credit unit is 25 ± 5 hours (ie. 150 ± 30 hours for a 6-credit course), which includes all learning activities and experiences within and outside of classroom, and any assessment task and examinations and associated preparations.

4.2 Details of Learning Activities

To be advised by course convenor(s).

Learning Resources

5.1 Resources

Reading materials: Reading materials are posted on Moodle
Core reading list: TBA
Recommended reading list: TBA

5.2 Links

Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/